GoodData

GoodData is a new entrant into the BI world that is taking advantage of
the push to cloud based IT environments. It is called BI as a platform
rather than the standard SaaS and has some interesting additions to the
space.

Traditional business intelligence usually relies on a centralized
server, web portals, and other heavy IT infrastructure. Their platform
is cloud based, but offers all of the core functionality found in a
typical implementation. They have dashboards, analytics, and data
warehouse abilities all built into the same structure. The also have
mobile ability with iOS and Android. Already, they have gotten a nice
list of initial clients including Capgemini, Time Warner Cable, and
Groupon.

Pricing and platform sizing is based on number of users,
amount of data, frequency of updates, and the source of the data. Data
can be kept on site and refreshed through the Gooddata system, or
everything can be housed in the cloud virtually. They can also work
with ETL tools like Talend and Informatica. They provide scale through
some innovative technologies, like the use of event stores and data
marts. This allows for quick ad-hoc reporting and analysis, as its not
tied to constrained infrastructure or bandwidth.

One other
differentiator is the inclusion of apps. Although it seems to be taking
advantage of some of the iCraze that has been happening lately, it is a
quick implementation to connect to some common CRM and other platforms.
They aren’t apps in the iPhone or iPad sense, but built in dashboard
and reporting functionality that runs over existing data in an external
system. There are already apps for Salesforce, SugarCRM, Facebook, and
Google analytics. In addition, they offer an API for further
development and they can build custom apps as well. They also promise
extensive frequency of updates, as close as two weeks apart. These
happen automatically within the cloud environment.